“This year is a huge milestone for us as we celebrate five years of successfully providing access to fresh fruits and vegetables for thousands of students across the country,” said Cindy Jewell, Vice President of Marketing for California Giant Berry Farms, in a Tour de Fresh press release. “We’ve seen how impactful it can be when companies and individuals within the industry come together with a common purpose. I’m confident that this year will be our most successful yet, as we’ve been able to grow every year since the event’s inception.”

The event’s press release noted that this year’s ride successfully sponsored 47 salad bars—placed in schools this fall. And in 2018, Tour de Fresh says it is committed to offering a wide variety of sponsorships to companies within the fresh produce industry—as well as affiliated industries—in order to reach the event’s goal of donating over 50 salad bars to schools across the U.S.

2018 Tour de Fresh sponsorship packages offer companies year-round marketing opportunities, media exposure, and customized benefits based on sponsorship level. Last year’s sponsors were reportedly included in more than 320 media placements in trade and consumer publications and earned more than 115 million total impressions.

“We’re proud to be a premier sponsor for another year with Tour de Fresh. The event aligns directly with our values at Mission Produce to work as a community to support education, nutrition, and local outreach,” noted Robb Bertels, Vice President of Marketing for Mission Produce. “Our team gets so excited to participate each year that we’ve had to start raffling off rider spots!”

This year’s Tour de Fresh event will involve a four-day ride beginning in Kirkwood Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe on July 22 and ending in Monterey, CA on July 26—just prior to the PMA Foodservice Conference. Tour de Fresh noted that the event provides both significant sponsorship and fundraising opportunities for companies to engage directly with a cause that they are passionate about and provides a forum for friends and colleagues within the industry together for a little fun before the popular conference.

To build on the Salad Bars to Schools program this year and in the future, the United Fresh Start Foundation’s salad bar campaign and Tour de Fresh support will ensure fresh lunch options continue to be readily available to the next generation.